Monday, April 04, 2011

Science Continues to Solve Life's Problems

Algae can secrete biofuels and pump out biologic drugs, and now researchers think it could help clean up radioactive accidents like the one unfolding at Japan's Fukushima nuclear facility. A Northwestern University researcher has identified a certain kind of common algae, known as Closterium moniliferum, that has a unique penchant for sequestering strontium into crystals, a trick that could help remove the dangerous radioactive isotope strontium-90 from the environment.Strontium-90 is particularly hazardous because of its similarity to calcium. Because the two atoms share similar atomic properties, radioactive strontium can end up getting into the same places calcium can, like milk, bones, bone marrow, and blood. But strontium-90 isn't a dominant element in reactor waste -- there is usually billions of times more harmless calcium than strontium in a nuclear spill -- so being able to separate the two is critical for quick and efficient cleanup.That's where C. moniliferum comes in.

4 Comments:

Algae has long been thought to be nothing more than a source of oceanic oxygen. We are finding that it has some other interesting possibilities, if you can isolate it into individual species and culture that specific one. Algae coliforms are almost like human communities, with individuals of variegated talents clustered around to help the entire commune survive come what may. Harry Reid is pumping your tax money into them as a source of biofuels in Nevada, which has much more coal than algae, but it's nice to hear some other interesting uses for the critters.